Progenitor
by wabisahbi
Summary: EVEN THE DARKEST NIGHT WILL END AND THE SUN WILL RISE. V. HUGO. In which a sickly human girl is chosen to inherit the memories and power of the progenitor of vampires, only to realize that not only is it a long process, it brings the attention of the most powerful coven in the world to her: the Volturi. [ ? x OC ] [ Post Breaking Dawn. ]
1. PROLOGUE

"AND SO, SAVITRI AND Sayavan lived happily ever after."

"A beautiful story, once again. I'm impressed."

"Another glowing review? I'm flattered."

"Only for you, Valentine. Only for you."

Cordelia Vane watched with a tiny smile as the old, weathered vampire closed the book with a smooth gesture. The sunlight filtering in from the window lit up his pallid skin like a myriad of diamonds, sparkling in rays of red, blue, green, and orange, not unlike the ring that sat on her middle finger, glowing just as brightly, if not more so.

Valentine caught her gaze in his own, trapping her human eyes with his infernal red stare. When he smiled at her, the corners of his eyes crinkled like wet paper.

"You're not tired yet?" he teased. He flicked her toes with the gentlest of touches, his inhuman strength nonexistent as he tested her reflexes. When she jerked her leg back, he grinned. "Seems not."

"Not yet," Cordelia agreed. "I still have a little bit to go before then."

Valentine's smile faltered just for a split second. She knew he was looking at the needles in her arms, the monitor on her finger, the machine that practically breathed for her; he would always feel some form of pity for her condition even if he had nothing to do with it himself.

"If I could have taken it all away before you were born, you know that I would have," he sighed sadly. "A million times over, I would have."

"I know you would have, old Val. I wouldn't doubt it for a second." She reached over and took his freezing, stone cold hand in hers, covering his knuckles with the other. "But this was how fate decided I would be, and so I am. There is no happiness without some suffering in this world."

"And I am aware of that every time I look at you," he mumbled softly. His eyes went to the ring on her finger and he touched it softly, observing the diamonds glitter with a sight that she did not possess. "You have decided, then?"

Cordelia felt him visibly stiffen. The breathing he faked to make her more comfortable stalled completely until he was nothing more than a statue. The apprehension he felt was palpable--he was worried she would back out.

"Yes," she answered quietly. "I've decided to stop being selfish and let you go. You want to end this life, my friend, and... I'm going to let you. But only on one condition."

"Anything," he swore. His old face sagged with promise. She knew that he meant it. "Whatever you wish, dear Cordelia. It is yours."

"I want you to live for me."

Valentine's eyes went impossibly wide--in shock or disbelief at her audacity, she didn't know. "Cordelia"

"Let me finish," she interrupted gently. She reached up and with a pale hand, patted his cheek gently. It was as cold as ice, as it always was. "I want you to live for me until I die. That is, when I succumb to this illness and become the next progenitor. I want you to see the world one last time for me before you go."

"I see," he replied quietly. "And until then? What will you do?"

Cordelia smiled a little too wide to be normal. "I have heard of a peculiar child that resides within a coven in Forks, Seattle. Adelaide tells me that she is both human and vampire. I would wish to leave this hospital and witness her for myself."

Valentine chuckled. He was well aware of her curious mind, always fascinated by the unknown. "Adelaide tells you too much, my dear."

They both laughed at that. Adelaide never told her anything unless she explicitly asked; she would never deny her anything.

When their amusement faded into a comfortable silence, Valentine asked,"How long will you have without the help of these machines? Truly?"

"Ah..." Cordelia furrowed her eyebrows. "The doctors say little more than six months. Adelaide says that as long as I take the venom you've given me for the transition preparation, I have over a year or so in me."

After that, her lungs would fail, followed by the rest of her internal organs and finally, her heart.

"Yes," he agreed. "My venom will preserve your cells and allow you some time, she is correct. But the moment your heart gives out, the transition will begin."

The transitionfor Valentine, he called it the "Kiss". Every progenitor passed down the memories and powers of their one true creator to another in a form of rebirth; the only difference was that normal vampires could not draw the transformation out in such a way as Valentine was able. A vampire was not able to receive those memories and gifts. Only a human, malleable and vulnerable, could take those for themselves.

Valentine was also the only vampire who could willingly make himself age into antiquity. He had once been young and handsome. Cordelia had a scrapbook dedicated to both him and herself since she was six; as the years went on, he aged himself more and more, following the role of father and protector as she grew and grew sicker.

Valentine was a lot of things, but he was her best friend and father first and foremost.

"I know." Cordelia shrugged and brushed her hair back from her face. "But the leader of the coven is a doctor. As long as he's able to take care of me in that time, I'll feel relatively safe even as I die. And Adelaide will be there, too..."

"Mm." Valentine nodded. He twisted her ring back and forth on her finger, a tiny little frown forming on his face. "Yes, but I... I would like to be there, before I pass on and gift you my memories. I feel it would bring me peace to see you one last time before I go."

Cordelia snorted. It was so unusual coming from her that Valentine jerked forward.

"You think I wouldn't call for you before then?" she huffed. "You underestimate my love and selfishness for you. I'll never die before I see you pass on."

"Good. Good." He patted her hands. He fell silent for a few moments, observing her face, and said,"You will make a beautiful progenitor, Cordelia."

A blush flushed through her cheeks. He had never ceased to tell her that, or that she was beautiful in general; albino she might be, but Valentine loved her as she was, not for what she looked like. He even admired her eyes from time to time, remarking she would look just the same, only with redder eyes.

"You just wanted to have a female body when you were younger," she accused, jabbing her finger into his shoulder playfully. "Don't lie to me, you know you did."

"Maybe," he replied loftily, avoiding her gaze. "Maybe not."

When she felt herself getting tired, Adelaide entered with a green plastic tray. She set it upon the table and opened it up to reveal her lunch for the day: asparagus roasted in butter and a small dish of mashed potatoes. To Valentine it looked like a snack; but for Cordelia, it was a feast.

"You eat less and less these days," he noted with just a tinge of worry. "The doctors haven't said anything?"

Adelaide replied for her, seeing as she was occupied with a forkful of asparagus,"They aren't concerned. The medicines she's been given don't allow for a large appetite. She just throws it up again later."

Cordelia nodded her assent. While the two vampires spoke in hushed tones, as if anyone could hear them, she took the time to observe her caretaker and bodyguard.

Adelaide was tall for a woman. She stood around six feet tall and nearly bumped into every threshold she could find, mostly because she wore heeled boots with heels like daggers. She wore a long leather trenchcoat that swept the floor and was studded with metal at the shoulders, elbows, and hems. Her hat was the same, covering her blonde locks, and studded around the edges with sharp pyramids. She was awfully out of place anywhere she went except for a charity ball or Cosmopolitan event, maybe. Today, she wore her hair in a braid, and that was all that was different about her.

As she ate the rest of her food, she grew steadily more drowsy, until she fell asleep with the fork in her hand and half chewed asparagus in her mouth.

Delicately, Adelaide took the fork out of her hand, scooped the food out of her mouth as quickly as she could, and covered her back up with her blankets.

"Take care of her when the time comes," Valentine told the other vampire as he stood. "Soon, I will no longer be here to do it for you."

Adelaide nodded. "Yes, sir."

"I'll arrange for the discharge papers."

"Of course. Also..." Adelaide withdrew a piece of paper from her coat pocket. On it was a list with little squares to check off, all of it in Cordelia's cramped handwriting. "She wanted me to give you this before you left. I supposed she knew you would leave after she told you."

"Smart child," he laughed. He took the paper and scanned over it.

It was a bucket list if he had ever seen one. Right at the top, circled in giant red ink, was one of the most gut wrenching tasks he had ever read.

Make amends with the Volturi.

Valentine sighed and tucked it away into his pocket. "The things I do for you, Cordelia... The things I do for you."

* * *


	2. ONE

"IS THERE MUCH ELSE YOU will need for the trip?" Adelaide carefully folded the last of Cordelia's shirts and placed it on top of her suitcase. Her hospital sheets and blankets had also been folded and put neatly upon the foot of the bed. "Valentine has arranged for a jet to meet us at the airport, so there won't be any turning back once we leave."

"I don't think so." Cordelia brushed her hair back and tied it up into a sleek white bun. "Other than the clothes and venom, I doubt I'll need much else during our stay."

"Perhaps not." Adelaide stepped behind her, cold body pressed to her back, and began gently combing away the stray hairs she had missed behind her ears. "Valentine has already given you half his fortune to start with. After he passes, you will inherit the rest, along with his memories."

"How much money has he amassed?" She closed her eyes and leaned back into Adelaide's surprisingly gentle fingers massaging her scalp. "I never thought to ask. It must be a lot, considering all of the progenitors before."

"I am not sure, but he is certain it will last you more than six centuries even if you spend it foolishly. However, the Cullens are not without their own funds to support you should you need it; their wealth is new and fresh."

"The Cullens... Have you told them I'll be coming?"

"No." Adelaide finished adjusting her hair and stepped away to pull out a scarf from her bag. She tied it over the bun and covered most of the pale locks from view. "They will know, regardless. They have a seer. It is pointless to make calls when they already know you are planning to come."

Cordelia frowned at herself in the mirror. In a quick movement, she turned around to face her protector. "What if they turn me away?"

"They won't," Adelaide replied vehemently. "I will make sure of it. To host the next progenitor upon her deathbed is an honor very few receive."

She turned back around and allowed the vampire to thread two small pearl earrings through her ears. "They're not going to... watch me as I'm dying, are they? I don't think I would be comfortable with that."

"Of course not," Adelaide promised gently. "It is your decision. It is tradition, certainly, but not all traditions have to be followed. The passing of Valentine unto you will not be observed; it is a sacred rite. The rest is your decision."

Cordelia nodded silently. She had known that much. Valentine had explained it to her the day he revealed what her purpose in life would be as the progenitor. The rites were precious and only known to few vampires in the world. Aro, the head of the Volturi, was one of them, having been honored to have a progenitor in his service before his untimely passing centuries ago. It had been some time since the Volturi had seen such power in their ranks afterwards. It was critical that she remain hidden until her transition was complete.

"All done," Adelaide said brightly. She patted her on the shoulders to gesture for her to stand, twirled her around to examine her outfit. "Very fitting for a progenitor. Modest. Are you certain you wish to cover up so heavily? It is quite humid in Seattle from what I hear."

"Yes." Cordelia buttoned her sweater the rest of the way. Like all of her wardrobe, she wore completely white from her head to her toes, mostly to compliment the pink-red of her eyes. "I still have bruises from the IVs and shunt. I don't want to tempt them any more than I am just by being there."

"Very well." Adelaide retrieved a phone from her pocket and handed it to her. It was sleek, black, and newer than anything she had ever owned before she had been put into Valentine's guardianship. "Here. It's one of the newest models. Valentine insisted. It has his number, mine, and Madame Deville's should you need it."

"Madame Deville?" Cordelia's mouth dropped open. It had been years since she had seen the French coven leader; the last she could recall seeing her was during her first visit to Paris before she had been admitted to the hospital. "I'm surprised she even owns a phone."

"I won't guarantee she will answer it." Adelaide shrugged and leaned down to pick up her suitcase. "Let's get going before the sun rises."

"Alright," Cordelia said, walking to the door and holding it open for her. "But can I get some grape juice before we leave? They won't let me have it in here."

Adelaide laughed. "Of course you would want grape juice and not something like chocolate."

"Is that an option too?"

"No, no sugar for you, Cor."

"Buzzkill."

"It's in the job description."

* * *

Alice finished the sketch in seconds. Peculiar eyes--red pink and not immortal--peered up at her from the piece of copy paper she had snatched up from the copier. Behind those eyes, peering down dangerously at something in front of the eyes owner, was the gaze of something ancient and old. Across from her, Renesmee--fully grown and chowing down on an apple--peered at the drawing.

"Who is that?" she inquired. "She doesn't look like anyone from our family."

Carlisle walked over from where he stood at the kitchen counter with Esme. He held a spatula in one hand as he twisted the paper to face him, eyes squinted in thought. "Hmm... Alice?"

"Hold on." Flipping the paper onto its back, she quickly sketched out another face that had shown itself to her almost randomly. An old face appeared in graphite upon the paper. "This... he keeps popping up. Everywhere. I can't help but see him."

"Valentine," Carlisle noted with faint surprise. "I wasn't aware he still walked the earth. If he is involved in these visions, then I can only assume this girl is to be the next progenitor."

"Progenitor?" Renesmee repeated. "I thought there wasn't a history for your creators."

"There is," Esme explained. She turned off the stove and walked over as silent as a cat. "But it is not widely known to most. It is kept that way out of old ways. The progenitor's gifts and memories are passed down to a human as they begin the transition."

"Which is extremely more complicated than, say, a normal bite," Carlisle sighed. "It is a long process that takes years. This girl has most likely been prepared for it her whole life through various methods."

"But why would she come here?" Alice questioned. "I can't find a concrete reason. Surely it's not anything awful..."

"Most likely not. But we can only wait and see."


	3. TWO

HER ARRIVAL AT FORKS WAS quiet, subdued, and almost completely devoid of excitement. Somewhere between their departure and arrival, Cordelia had tirednot even the grape juice she had swigged down had helped her lowering blood sugar. Adelaide had only just managed to get it up after buckling under her own anxiety and shoving a chocolate bar into her hands the moment they had landed.

"Do you feel better?" Adelaide inquired. She busied herself with collecting their combined luggage and sent an eerie blue gaze her way. Contacts had never looked so bizarre until you had seen them on the ancient vampire yourself. Her venom burned through them faster than most and there were streaks of red peeking through the blue, like bleeding paint. "I can get you some water to flush out the rest of your system…"

Cordelia waved her concern off and clung to the pillar supporting the ceiling. Her legs still felt a bit shaky. "I'm fine. Do the Cullens live nearby?"

"Unfortunately not." Adelaide dragged their final bag off of the conveyor belt and approached her, reaching out to tug her turtle neck back in place. "They live in a forest, of all things. It makes sense, I suppose, considering their diet."

"I guess so." Cordelia suffered the nitpicking her clothes for a few moments before asking,"So, explain to me why I can't live off of their diet again? Valentine never explained the full details about that."

Adelaide paused. One of her contacts had fully dissolved already. "I'm afraid I only know the basics of it. It comes down to strength, I recall that much. Your body, immortal or not, has to hold all of the past progenitors within somehow. Human blood holds memories… better than animal blood, most of the time."

"And blood stays in the system for at least a month, right? Before it needs replenishing?"

"Yes." Adelaide patted her head in acknowledgement. "You remembered your lessons. Good."

"I told you that I paid attention," Cordelia sniffed. "Now, where's theAdelaide?"

The vampire had cocked her head to the side, looking somewhere behind her. Her nostrils flared slightly and in response to whatever scent she caught, her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Dogs. Four of them."

"Children of the moon?" Cordelia balked. She tottled on her heels and tried to turn around to look, too, but Adelaide caught her shoulders in a vice grip. She could hear her collarbone groan under the pressure.

"No," she said, finally, after some time of evaluation. "No, these are shifters. Humans. Natives."

Cordelia's eyebrows furrowed deeply. Just as she was about to ask about the difference, a voice piped up behind them, feminine and idly familiar, but not in a way she could place.

"Cordelia? Adelaide?"

They both turned to face the woman. She wore a stylish leather jacket, blue jeans, and heels almost as high as Adelaide's. Her hair was blonde, made vibrant with immortality, and she kept her eyes, a golden brown, uncovered even in public.

Beside her, rivaling Adelaide in height, was a man with the same eyes. He was bulky, made of muscle, and could probably take her out with a finger. When she caught his gaze, he grinned at her, and she raised an eyebrow curiously.

"You must be the Cullens?" Cordelia stepped into Adelaide's side. The vampire wrapped her arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer, and fiddled with the end of one of her braids.

"Yes. I'm Rosalie, and this is Emmett, my partner," she introduced. After a moment's hesitation, she held her hand out to shake. Cordelia took it, noted the slightest difference between Adelaide's temperature and hers, then drew away to shake Emmett's. "It's nice to meet you."

"Nice meet you both." Cordelia retreated back into Adelaide's arm. "Are there… Adelaide, you said something about dogs…"

"Lady Cordelia is concerned about the presence of the dogs," Adelaide elaborated blandly. Cordelia groaned internally and rested her head against the vampire's shoulder; she knew that snide, bitter tone better than anyone else. It had been leveled at Valentine more times than she could count. "I assured her that they are not children of the moon and are, in fact, the native shifters."

Rosalie shifted on her feet, but it was Emmett who answered. "We have a treaty with them. They mean no harm. A few of them came to make sure they knew your faces and scents so none of the other wolves would attack you on sight. They're pretty cool once you get to know them."

"I see," Cordelia said at the same time Adelaide replied sourly,"I can smell them from here."

Rosalie winced. "They can't ever get rid of the wet dog smell."

As if sensing it was their cue, four men appeared from around a corner. They had clearly been listening to their conversation, if the awkward grins were any indication, and wore similar clothing: ripped jean shorts and t-shirts. She noted a tattoo on their shoulders idly, but was unable to see if the others had them when Adelaide moved her behind her.

"Sam, this is Cordelia and her protector, Adelaide," Emmett introduced them with a wave of his hand. Rosalie nodded to Cordelia behind Adelaide. "Cordelia, Adelaide, this is Sam, one of the pack leaders, and his pack members Embry, Seth, and Quil."

Cordelia felt Adelaide go stiff under her fingers. The fake breathing she employed to make her more comfortable shuttered off abruptly. "_One_ of the pack leaders?"

"Yes." The leader, Sam, stepped forward. "Before the incident a few years ago, we split up after a disagreement. The other is Jacob Black."

"Renesmee's imprint," Rosalie provided helpfully, when Cordelia's eyebrows scrunched up in confusion at the names being thrown around. "He's nice… For a dog."

"No offense taken," one of the men, Cordelia idly guessed Paul, scoffed. It seemed to be taken good naturedly, but Adelaide bristled regardless.

As they stood in awkward silence, Cordelia felt herself growing tired and unable to stay upright. She tugged on Adelaide's long coat, taking a deep breath to speak. "I'm tired, can you..?"

"Of course." Adelaide's tone grew soft as she whirled around and gently scooped her up into a bridal hold. She held her with one arm and fished around in her pocket for her juice box. "Here. Drink this."

Cordelia tasted the venom before she smelled it. Somehow, she had snuck in her daily dose without her realizing it. "Mm. Thank you."

"I assume we're done here?" Adelaide huffed. "Lady Cordelia is tired. I'm reluctant to have her here for much longer. Human illnesses could affect her health and destroy our progress; she is still very fragile."

"Sam?" Emmett inquired.

The wolf was staring into nothing for a while before nodding his head. "Sure. I'll send Quil ahead to warn the others. It was nice meeting you, Cordelia."

"You too," she mumbled tiredly. She shook their hands, shocked at the heat they let off, and then Adelaide was sweeping her off down the airport, stopping at a car that had been parked in front. Rosalie and Emmett, both carrying their luggage, Cordelia noted with some guild, unlocked the vehicle and stowed it in the trunk.

"We have a bit of a drive ahead of us," Rosalie warned. "Do you want to take a quick nap in the back?"

"That would be nice. Thank you."

Once they had settled, with Emmett and Rosalie in the front and Adelaide in the back, with Cordelia sprawled across her lap, the car was started and they began the two hour journey to Forks.

When Adelaide was certain she was asleep, with one hand pressed against her ribs to ease the stitch in her side, she spoke quietly. "I am uncertain if I should inform you of Cordelia's status, or if your seer has already done so."

"No." Rosalie looked back in the mirror at her. "Carlisle had her respect the secrecy of her… condition."

"As he should," Adelaide nodded. "However, this situation is delicate. Cordelia doesn't know what I am about to tell you, so keep this amongst yourselves or speak nothing of it at all."

"Gotcha, boss lady," Emmett hummed.

"You can trust us."

"I hope that I can," Adelaide sighed. She trailed her fingers through Cordelia's pale hair. "The Volturi are aware of her presence."

Rosalie almost slammed on the breaks. Emmett only barely stopped her, keeping her focus on the road and the sleeping human in the back. "What?"

"If they aren't now, then they will be soon." Adelaide adjusted her collar. "One of Cordelia''s terms was that Valentine, the current progenitor, make amends with the Volturi. Or, more specifically, Marcus, of whom he has been embroiled in a mutual hatred for most of his inhuman life. He hides nothing from Aro, as I'm sure you're aware, and he will insist upon seeing her."

"I'm sensing a 'but'..." Emmett turned around. "What are you not saying?"

Adelaide looked out the window. "I'm afraid that you can't know that unless I am certain of it."

The rest of the ride to the Cullen residence was quiet, save for the soft snores that Cordelia made when the car jolted her frail body.

* * *

**Thank you for reading! I mean, I've only gotten one review/comment so far, but you must know that it means a lot to me that you would read it. I try to be as original and non cliché as possible.**


	4. THREE

THE CULLEN HOUSEHOLD WAS everything that Cordelia had expected of a coven of such renown: it was modern, minimalist, and reeked of money even from where she sat in the car. There was a long, meandering path that took them from the main road to their sheltered home, and it had been scenic enough to come off almost as ostentatious. If she hadn't known they were vampires and that they valued privacy above all else, she would have thought them show offs.

Thankfully, they didn't seem that way--from what she had seen of Rosalie and Emmett, of course--and from Valentine's reluctant stories of old, Carlisle was one of the few he could trust in the world with their secret. He was honorable, loyal to his family, and smart, even in his human years. Valentine spoke of him as often as he did anyone else, which was never, but Cordelia noted the admiration in his tone whenever he did decide to speak of his past.

She was eventually drawn out of her thoughts when Adelaide shoved one of her pills in her face. She blinked at it, then at Adelaide, taking it from her slowly and putting it in her mouth. Her guard then offered her a bottle of water, which she took graciously, and downed the tablet in one go.

"Your kidneys are starting to go," Adelaide explained after a moment. "Slowly, but the pills will keep it at bay for some time."

"Oh." Cordelia swallowed. That explained the pains she had been feeling in her sides lately. She screwed the cap of her drink back on and sidled up to Adelaide, resting her cheek in the curve of her shoulder and her weight on her ribs and leg. "What's next on the list?"

Adelaide reached up and rested her palm on her forehead. She pretended not to notice Rosalie looking back at them in the mirror, curiosity oozing off of her in waves. "Next? Your lungs or bones. It's getting harder to tell the farther you progress."

"Mm." The albino girl shifted and finally found a comfortable spot on Adelaide's cold, unmoving collarbone. Eager to change the subject, she locked eyes with Rosalie in the mirror and asked,"So, Renesmee--what is she like?"

"A total diva," Emmett chortled. He kept flicking through radio stations at random, but finally stopped when they drew closer to the house. "But she's nice. She lives off of human food or blood; it doesn't matter which as long as she gets a little bit of both. Her imprint, Jacob, is a shifter; a wolf. He's always nearby so don't get spooked if a wolf pops out of the underbrush."

Cordelia raised an eyebrow. "Imprint? Adelaide, what's that?"

Adelaide twirled one of her braids around her fingers almost lazily. Without the contacts, her eyes, a startling ruby red shot through with deep orange, were able to shine through and meet her gaze. With contacts, it was almost like she wasn't able to see her all that well. "They take life partners. The wolf binds them, as far as I know. I never did keep up with the natives and their stories."

"You can ask Jacob about it, if he'll tell you," Rosalie suggested. She put the car in park and Emmett bounded out, running over to hoist a girl--she could only assume it was Renesmee--into the air with a laugh. "There's Renesmee. Why don't you introduce yourself and we'll get your things inside?"

"I'll grab her things," Adelaide interrupted sharply. She helped her from the car and appeared at the trunk in one swift movement. "There are delicate things inside that I would rather carry myself."

Cordelia only got the barest look on Rosalie's face as she straightened out her pants, and it wasn't shock. Before she could get her fingers on her suitcase of shoes, Renesmee appeared before her. She started so quickly that she nearly fell backwards, but the halfling caught her mid fall, adjusting her upright. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Adelaide boring holes into the young vampire.

"Sorry!" Renesmee apologized. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Cordelia managed. She was used to Adelaide being there to steady her; it was an unusual feeling to not have her presence with her, or at least close enough to touch. "I'm Cordelia Vane. And you must be Renesmee."

"My reputation precedes me!" The girl laughed. Cordelia automatically cocked her head to the side in much the same way as Adelaide; there was something off about the pallor of her skin that she couldn't place. "Here, let's go inside so you can meet everyone. Jake, I'm going in! Come meet Cordelia before you leave!"

"H-huh?" Cordelia froze and stood stock still. Renesmee only realized she was pulling dead weight after a few moments of yelling, and turned around to face her.

"What's wrong?"

"Cordelia does not like any kind of dog," Adelaide explained. She was at her side in an instant, one arm wrapped firmly around her waist and the other gently prying Renesmee's hand from her arm. She could already feel the bruises rising as Adelaide lowered her arm to her side. "Or wolves, for that matter. The children of the moon, specifically speaking. I would rather her meet the person, not the lupine form."

"Oh." Renesmee, for a split second, looked almost put off. Cordelia prayed Adelaide hadn't come off as too snarky, and got her wish when she perked back up again. "Alright, that's fine! I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable here. I'll just get him to shift and--"

Adelaide was bristling before she even noticed the new addition to Renesmee's side.

"I heard you loud and clear," the male mumbled, pulling his head through the hole of a shirt. He looked exactly like the other wolves they had met and even had the tattoo on his shoulder. He mimed pain when Renesmee elbowed him, then his gaze landed on Cordelia. "Nice to meet you. I'm Jacob Black."

When he held out his hand for her to shake, Cordelia took it automatically. It was warm and almost rivalled a furnace; she much preferred Adelaide's cold to that kind of heat. "I'm Cordelia. This is my bodyguard, Adelaide. It's nice to… meet you too."

Jacob eyed the woman beside her. She dwarfed him by several inches, Cordelia noticed, and the stare wasn't helping. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." That was about as polite as Adelaide got with wolves of any kind. "I assume you are leader of a pack yourself?"

"Yeah," Jacob answered. Cordelia watched a bead of sweat trickle down his temple with some amusement. "It's small. Not like Sam's. Do you want to meet them?"

"I would prefer to," Adelaide replied simply. "Cordelia's safety comes first and foremost. I will not tolerate temperamental dogs in her presence."

"Right. Well, follow me, then," he started, then glanced at Cordelia,"unless… You're busy."

Adelaide looked over at her inquiringly, asking for her permission. Cordelia squeezed her hand. "I'll be fine. Renesmee is here and I'm sure the rest of the Cullens are waiting."

"Very well." Adelaide released her from her hold. "If you need anything, just call."

"Will do." Cordelia gave her a mock salute.

When Jacob vanished into the tree line, Adelaide following at a leisurely pace behind him, Renesmee grabbed her hand and pulled her inside.

"Everyone's excited to meet you! Especially Papa Carlisle; he's been preparing for you since Aunt Alice saw you coming last week!" They passed Rosalie and Emmett, and went through a door to a large, fancy kitchen. "Aunt Alice! Uncle Jasper! Are you two in here?"

"Here!" A woman, lithe as a cat, leapt in through one of the open windows. She had a fist full of paper, all of it drawn with charcoal, and dumped it in the trash in favor of taking Cordelia's hands. "It's so nice to meet you! I'm Alice; my partner, Jasper, is busy finishing up some final touches to your room. The wiring blew last night so we've been busy fixing it all day."

"That's fine," Cordelia laughed halfheartedly. She felt tired all of a sudden and blamed it on the plane travel. "Um, it's nice to meet you, too, Alice."

"The wiring's fixed, but it'll need some plaster to hide the work later," a man, who she assumed was Jasper, said, walking down a staircase. He went to Alice's side and offered her a small grin. "And who's this pale creature?"

Renesmee snorted at the joke. "This is Cordelia, the soon to be Progenitor, according to Aunt Alice. Cordelia, this is Uncle Jasper. He has the ability to, well… Why not just show you?"

Cordelia looked over at Jasper expectantly. "Is it a benevolent ability?"

"Somewhat. I can manipulate emotions," he explained. Suddenly, the pain that was making her irritated, likely her kidneys, dulled slightly. "There. No harm done. How do you feel?"

"I… okay." Cordelia rubbed her sternum. "Thank you. It's been irritating me all day."

"It's nothing. If you ever need help with your pain, just come to me," he offered. "I doubt taking painkillers is helping your situation."

Cordelia winced. "Not really. So you're like a walking morphine machine?"

Alice giggled. "Not exactly. See--"

And then she stopped. Abruptly. And then the beginning threads of panic began to spear through her expression. She met Cordelia's gaze head on, then looked at the door. "Jasper, we need to--"

"Renesmee, are you home?" A woman called out. Renesmee brightened and whirled around, yelling,"Mom!"

"Bella--," Alice started,"Wait--"

"Huh?" The owner of the voice stepped into the kitchen. All of the blood left Cordelia's face in a rush when golden eyes landed on her, and not in a friendly way. "That smell--"

"Bella, no--Jasper!"

Cordelia's mind went blank as fangs were flashed in her face, so close to her throat that she felt the air against her skin. So close. So. Close.

She hit the floor, hard, and just moments before her vision faded to black, she saw a head of dark hair being yanked back by a viscerally enraged Adelaide, her fangs extended to twice the length of any vampire's as she hissed in the woman's face.

"Ad...elai...de…" Cordelia whispered.

Her eyes slid shut.


	5. FOUR

She stood in the hallway by the stairs, shielding it from Bella like a guard dog. The soft, contemplative expression she usually kept for Cordelia's sake--to never hurt her feelings--had crumbled into one of a coldness so severe that it was difficult to look her in the eye. Her long coat had been abandoned, ripped in the scuffle to subdue the young vampiress--which had not been much to deal with, but a pain to do while Cordelia lay inches from her gaping mouth of fangs--to expose the tank top she wore beneath in the same shade of black.

Bella watched as the silvery lines of scar tissue on her arms shone in the fading sunlight. Whereas immortality had made her own imperfections fade away, Adelaide's had been made marks of glory by her own sheer will, or so Alice revealed to her in secrecy. Some were large, some were small, but there was a wicked one curving all the way from ear to ear, just under her chin, the width of three fingers and just as deep.

She was terrifying… and everything Bella was not, but had hoped to become. It seemed she had failed in that regard.

"I am sorry, Adelaide," Carlisle spoke to the woman from the living area. He, Esme, Edward, and Rosalie had crowded around her to secure her before the guard could rip her head from her shoulders. Bella remembered the lack of hesitation in the older vampire's movements and felt the beginning dregs of fear beginning to pull up in her memories. "Alice didn't see any of this--"

"Adelaide isn't my name," she interrupted him. Her tone was thunderous. "That is a name only for Cordelia. You may refer to me as Artemesia."

"... Artemesia," Carlisle amended, but Bella spotted the start of recognition bloom across his face anyways. "Alice didn't see it until it was too late. If we had known…"

"You couldn't have." Adelaide, or Artemesia, rolled forward on the pads of her feet, eyes locked on Bella. She had only moved to adjust her shirt, but it seemed the vampire was high strung and tense, so she lowered her hand. "What I am angered by is that you praise her restraint, and yet in the face of a blood singer, she fails catastrophically. I would have her head if even a hair had touched Cordelia. Others would, as well."

"I am aware of that." Carlisle rubbed his forehead. "And sincerely, I apologize--"

Artemesia snorted. "I don't want an apology from you. I want one from her. She is an adult, surely? She can take responsibility for her own actions… unlike in the past."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bella demanded. Alice's grip on her shoulder tightened in warning. Orange-red eyes darted over to her again in the same manner. "I've already apologized!"

"In a bloodlust induced state, yes, but I digress," Artemesia hummed. Then, she stopped, her eyes narrowing as she tilted her head to the side to listen to Cordelia's heartbeat, which they all had heard stutter and even out normally. "Others have taken the blame for your actions. I am not a fool, nor am I as oblivious to the world as you believe my people are, to allow them to do so again. Therefore, be a woman, Bella Swan, and stand up for yourself."

"It's Cullen," she mumbled, but got to her feet and pulled away from Alice. "I'm sorry for trying to attack Cordelia. Really."

Edward had not spoken a word for her in the time they had entered the house. He was contemplative as he gazed at Artemesia, no doubt rifling through her thoughts, and the same recognition flashed across his face like it had Carlisle's. Clearly, Bella was out of some important vampire loop here, and she didn't like it.

Artemesia rolled her shoulders. "Your apology is not accepted, but appreciated."

Bella, anger rushing up in words, balked. "What was the point of asking for an apology if you weren't going to accept it?!"

"Apologies are a well and good starting point, but actions speak lounder than words. You should start making them." With a final flash of her fangs in a fierce grin, she turned her back to them and sauntered down the hall to Cordelia's room. "Good day. When Cordelia wakes, I expect her to be gone and practicing her control."

The door opened and closed behind her with a quiet snap. They all listened as Cordelia's breath hitched and was soothed quickly when Artemesia turned on what sounded like a breathing treatment.

When everyone abandoned their places at her side and took up seats on the couches and chairs, Bella watched as Edward and Carlisle stepped outside. They clearly didn't want Artemesia hearing, but Bella--and everyone else--tuned in to the quiet conversation they were not privy to.

"Adelaide--Artemesia… Is she who I think she is?" Edward asked softly. He was drumming his fingers on the porch railing. "If… How…?"

"Yes," Carlisle sighed out. "I saw it in her movements, first, when she subdued Bella. Then, it was in her speech, the faintest accent… She has gotten better at blending in, hiding, in the years since I have been honored with her presence. And even then, she was still very old, too proud to allow her heritage to fall away from her."

"Heritage?" Edward inquired.

"Her true name is lost to history," the other vampire explained. "But she was once an Empress, friend and sire to Queen Anastazja, the Romanians long dead monarch, once upon a time. It is rumored that she was sired upon the ancient shores of Greece, during the reign of Leonidas, but how true that is, I do not know. What I do know is that she was thrown to the fighting pits as a human, and earned her crown as a gladiatrix. I wouldn't test her, Edward, not at the risk of Bella's existence."

"Then we should leave to Denali," Edward sighed. Bella bristled. "At least there, she will be far away while she learns how to control her thirst."

"It would be the best thing to do. I'll book the plane tickets. If you run and she catches her scent, we'll be back at square one."

"Thank you."

Cordelia woke up to a dark room and a headache that had her seeing stars. "Ow, ouch--"

Pills were pressed to her lips, a paper cup right behind it with water to wash it down. When she had downed the rest of the water, it was taken from her and put somewhere near her head. Cold fingertips gently probed a sore spot on her scalp, which was more soothing than an ice pack, and then moved to rub away the crease in her brows.

"What happened?" She croaked. Adelaide's unusual eyes were just barely reflected in the moonlight. "It's all fuzzy…"

"You are a blood singer," Adelaide explained to her in a whisper. Her face scrunched up in a display of pain. "I'm sorry. If I had been there to begin with--"

"You couldn't have known." Cordelia patted her arm lazily. She was almost shocked to not feel the leather of her coat and her skin instead, but brushed it aside to focus on covering her toes up with the blanket. "Blood singers don't work like that."

"Unfortunately." Adelaide endured almost seven seconds of silence before sighing through her nose. "I should have killed her. She's too much of a threat to you."

"Hey, no, you did good, Adelaide. You're finally starting to learn not to kill at the snap of a finger." The pink eyed girl patted her knee, which was more of her shin in her tiredness, and grinned, though it was laced with pain. "I'm proud of you."

The vampiress couldn't help but puff up a bit. "As you should be."

It took a few more moments than normal, but Cordelia snickered. "Do I have any snacks in here? Or do I have to brave the kitchen?"

"No." Adelaide produced a sandwich, wrapped in a paper towel and put in a plastic baggie. "Esme, the co-founder of this coven, kindly sent this up for you. It's tomato and bacon… as much as I don't want you to eat oily food, you've earned it, I think."

"Only after being attacked and knowing I'm someone's blood singer, huh?" The sandwich was snatched out of her hands and the lamp being flicked on. "Oh, bacon, bacon, how I've missed you!"

As Cordelia began to eat her sandwich, which was more than Adelaide had ever seen her eat while she was in the hospital, the vampiress took time to examine her charge.

There as very little that could faze Cordelia nowadays. Living as an albino in a city as judgemental as the one she had would do that. She had never grown taller than the height she hit when she was sixteen, and for all Adelaide knew, vampirism might change that for her. Sickness had taken all of the fat and some muscle from her, leaving her weighing no more than seventy pounds soaking wet. The little food she did take in kept her going, the vitamins providing her sustenance, and the venom slowly preserving her cells and destroying the cancerous ones. Adelaide had hoped vampirism would not be necessary, but the cancer showed no signs of slowing down even with intervention, and dashed those hopes immediately.

Valentine had been devastated, but wouldn't show that to Cordelia. As her father figure, he had despaired over her condition, as was his right to do so, but he loathed that her life would have been taken from her so early if he had not chosen her. It was perhaps the only truly selfish act he had ever made in his life, to Adelaide's knowledge, and she knew most of it to begin with. He chose the most pathetic looking human with a time limit to save himself the guilt of saddling a perfectly healthy human with lifetimes of memories of blood and violence and death.

Adelaide could understand his reasoning. She understood it without a fault, actually. But she knew she wouldn't be able to take it if Cordelia changed because of it. The progenitor's memories had a way of altering someone's existence, more so than immortality itself; if she lost her zest for life, her capacity for great understanding, her ability to love, to look at her and know only a fraction of the awful things she had done and still smile at her, Adelaide would end her own existence with her own two hands.

Hands that existed to kill. To suffocate. To rip. To tear. To rend. To snuff out lives that would otherwise have been complacent in their existence.

"You're in that place again."

Adelaide jerked upright. "What?"

"I said," Cordelia repeated over a mouth full of bacon,"you're in that place again. That dark place. The one where you go when you're thinking about your past."

"I didn't know you could read me that well," Adelaide teased, but only halfheartedly. It shook her to her core. She _hadn't_ known that she could read her that well.

"I can when you let me." She brushed hair away from her face, grimacing when her fingers caught in a knot. "It isn't hard, just difficult. You don't wear the guard face when it's just me and you. Sometimes I watch you and you go to that place, and I can see it in your eyes--the pain and horror you're looking back on… I guess it helps to have a natural curiosity about you in general."

Adelaide's brow furrowed. "You know you only have to ask me…"

"But I don't want you to tell me because I've asked you," Cordelia huffed. "I thought I made it obvious, but you're denser than I thought you were. I want you to tell me when you're ready, and you're not, that I can tell. I'll have all the time in the world to wait."

Just the smallest bit, Adelaide could feel the walls around her heart cracking.

"Cor…" The nickname slipped out. She had half a mind to tell her her true name, to give her something equally as vulnerable in return, but it got stuck in her throat. Suddenly, she wanted to tell her everything--but it wouldn't move past the wall she had built, sworn not to breach ever again. Instead, she changed the topic, noting only crumbs littering the girl's fingers. "Did you enjoy your sandwich?"

Cordelia didn't seem to appreciate having the topic changed so suddenly, but gave her a tiny nod of understanding. It seemed she could read her well. "I did. It was delicious, all that oily bacon--I'm sure she can hear me, but thank Esme for me, I really missed bacon."

"I will," she said. She could hear the matriarch in question pause a floor down, listening, then continue moving around. "How's your head?"

"Better." Cordelia reached back and touched the tender spot on her head. "Sore, but better. Is… do you think we could go downstairs? I want to try to speak to Bella before rip her a new one…"

"I already have, and you can't," Adelaide interrupted. "They're leaving tonight. If Bella can't get her thirst under control during their time in Denali, then she will be gone until your transition."

"That's not fair," the future progenitor sighed. "But I see your point. It's too tempting, being a blood singer, isn't it?"

Adelaide smiled tightly, recounting her own encounter with her own blood singer. It had not ended _well_, or _politely_. Her grave was somewhere on the cliffs of Greece, what little had remained of her she had buried deep in rock. "It is. But I don't begrudge you for wanting to say goodbye…"

"I'll write a note, then," she shrugged. "Well, I'll tell you what to write, and you can write it. Don't want my scent all over the paper."

"Smart girl," Adelaide praised. She patted her head and went to retrieve a piece of paper from her journal; it was the only belonging she kept beside her clothing as a permanent fixture. She had boxes upon boxes of the journals since she had become immortal, charting her life over the course of thousands of years. She ran her finger over the sigil burnt into the leather cover--the sigil she wore as Empress, her personal seal--and, hesitating, put it back in her bag. It was too early; she would let her read it when she was ready. "Here we go. Now, how do we start? As Lady Progenitor Cordelia Vane, or just Lady Cordelia?"

"How about _neither_, and just Cordelia?"

Just as Bella was closing the trunk to the car, Edward waiting patiently in the driver's seat, Adelaide--Artemesia--appeared. She hadn't even alerted her vampire senses and had gotten painfully close, even then. She could feel Edward watching through the rearview mirror, waiting for Adelaide to make a move.

"Here." The vampiress produced a letter from behind her back. It was made of thick parchment, sealed with wax, and had her name written on the front in immaculate handwriting that she doubted belonged to Cordelia. It seemed too dated, too elegant for modern writing. "Cordelia sends her apologies… and her regards. She insisted."

Bella took the letter. "Thank you. I… tell her I'm sorry, and that I'll try to be better…"

"Do not try," Adelaide warned,"_be_ better."

With those final words, she retreated back into the house, faster than light.

Bella got in the car, letting out a long breath of relief. Edward only chuckled lightly and put the car in gear, pulling out of the garage and heading on the road to Denali.

As they left the dampness of Forks and crossed over into Canada, Bella finally got the courage to open the letter. She had expected to smell Cordelia, or some form of her at least, but all she could make out was Adelaide's potent scent, strong and acidic.

_Dear Bella_, it read,_ I write not as Progenitor or Lady Cordelia, but as a hopeful friend…_

* * *

**MooNOrchiD: **_You are right! I decided that Bella was kind of... mary sue-ish to have such perfect control and decided to change that. There are certainly more twists to come. :) Thank you for reading, by the way, I really appreciate it!_

**I'm churning these chapters out like it's nothing. I anticipate that I'll burn out eventually, but I have quarantine time to kill, so I'll be updating this probably every day or two.**

**Stay safe everyone!**

**Also, for anyone who's curious, should I just ship Adelaide/Artemesia with Cordelia or choose a canon character? It's undecided at the moment, but I was wondering anyways.**


	6. FIVE

_VOLTERRA, ITALY_

_11:45 P.M., MONDAY_

_THREE DAYS AFTER_

* * *

_THESE PAST TWO THOUSAND years have been long ones_

. Valentine began his diary entry with a tiredness that had never been present in him before. His handwriting, cramped and sloppy even after years of practice, was becoming foreign to him as memories overlapped in his mind--memories that did not belong to him, but others. Specifically, Queen Gorgo's stood out to him the most, with her scratchy handwriting and heavy hand. He shook his head and continued writing. _I have decided to end my own existence and allow another to take my place… Even though the guilt eats at my undead soul._

"Valentine. It is good to see you, old friend."

The Progenitor looked up with a tight smile and shut the diary gently. "Aro. And Jane, of course, it is nice to see you as well."

The Volturi leader gave him a warm, albeit calculating smile in return. "Yes, indeed it is. May I take a seat?"

"By all means," Valentine said, waving a hand at the seat across from him. He recognized Gorgo's movements in his own and almost scowled. It was Aro, sitting across from him with an expectant look, that held him back. "I'm sure you are aware that I would not call you from your home unless it was important."

"Of course not," Aro gasped, tone deceptively light. "We are old friends, you and I; there is a degree of trust between us, no?"

Valentine smiled. "Yes. I suppose so. But our trust is not what I am here to speak about."

Aro leaned back in the chair. Jane, who remained standing, fixed her gaze to the window, observing the night life outside. The café had been emptied prior to the Volturi king's arrival, so all that sat between them and idle conversation was the human waitress, balancing two steaming cups of blood on a tray.

When the cups sat in front of them, the waitress retreated to the back, and the faint click of the back door echoed throughout the building. Only when it shut did Aro speak.

"You are ready to end your life," he guessed, taking the cup and bringing it to his lips. "I would have guessed maybe centuries ago that you were ready… and you still surprise me."

"I must say that I was not ready until this moment," Valentine admitted. He rubbed his hair, a stark white from the salt and pepper he had owned days ago, from his eyes. "I am tired, Aro. I must wrap up my loose ends. Soon."

Aro nodded sympathetically. "One of those being my dear brother Marcus. Yes, I can understand that. You were once very close, weren't you?"

"I wouldn't say we were close," Valentine said slowly. "Perhaps acquaintances is a better word. But those times are gone, unfortunately, and I must apologize to him."

"An apology almost three centuries in the making." Aro clapped his hands together in delight. "Oh, I am so excited to host you in our home once more! It has been too long, Valentine, much too long. We must line up acceptable candidates--"

Valentine set down his cup with an audible slam. This had been the moment he had been dreading, but now it was unavoidable. "Aro, that is unnecessary. I already have a candidate ready."

His exuberance slowly faded, crumbling like stone. The disappointment on his pale face was palpable. "I see. Well, as much as I would have liked to choose one alongside you… I see that is impossible now. May I?"

Valentine held out his hand. Aro had always had trouble navigating through his memories; they were always chock full of the past progenitor's memories, and usually made no sense without context, but Aro dug out a little sliver of memory that belonged to Cordelia. It was one he remembered well.

Cordelia had been so very young that day. She was small, no taller than his knee, and bounded across a human playground without a hint of hesitation in her. She was rowdy, climbing over monkey bars, playing on the see-saws, picking flowers and tossing the petals into the air to shower over her head.

It had been before he had adopted her. He had kept his eye on her as she matured into a seven year old, had intended to let her live her life to the fullest and fund her adventures anonymously, but then she had fallen deathly ill.

When it had happened, it was winter, during a snow storm so terrible that Valentine couldn't sit out and seem normal. The temperature had dropped to the negatives and upon calling the orphanage to inquire upon Cordelia, he had been informed that she was being admitted to the hospital.

That day… He had killed more people than he had liked to remember. The nurses who had denied him access; the doctors who refused to run diagnostic tests. He could most certainly use one of the past progenitor's gifts, but that took too much time, too much meditation. He was enraged, too absorbed in his emotions to try and heal her himself.

By the time he came to his senses, it had been too late for him to do anything.

Valentine pulled his hand from Aro's abruptly. His head pounded with the voices of the progenitors, furious and irate that he had allowed the man to see their new vessel. He had dug far, far deeper than he had wanted him to.

_He has seen her!_ Gorgo.*

_We must get back and hide her!_ Commodus.*

_The Cullens will not protect her_… Audrey.*

_Aro cannot be trusted_. Helen.*

These were voices he rarely heard even in his sleep, when he conversed with them through a dreamwalker gift owned by one of the older, unnamed progenitors who refused to come to the light and reveal himself. He offered his gift and nothing more.

"Cordelia," Aro cooed slowly, testing the name on his tongue. "Very pretty; it means "jewel of the sea'. Did you name her?"

"No." Valentine very carefully took a sip of the blood in his cup. He grimaced. It had chilled. "It was on her birth certificate."

"Well." Aro rose from his seat. "I must make arrangements for your arrival to the castle. Jane, be a dear and call Felix down with the car. I'd hate to be stuck in the crowd tonight."

"Yes, master." Jane bowed to the king then, after a moment's hesitation--no doubt seeing someone else's face on Valentine--bowed to the progenitor. She had fled into the night before either of them registered it.

"I must know," Aro began quietly,"and you do not have to answer. But that little… incident several decades ago is still a well kept secret between us?"

Valentine swallowed thickly, a human tick. Oh yes, he remembered that little spat quite well. Didyme had paid for it with her life.

"Of course," he whispered. His diary hung heavy in his furry coat.

"Good. I bid you farewell, my friend. I will see you tomorrow during your audience with Marcus."

As Aro sauntered outside, stepping into a sleek black car more expensive than a house, Valentine rose to his feet. He opened his phone and called Cordelia, noting the time difference and hoping she was awake.

It picked up after two rings. It was not Cordelia who answered, but a familiar one: Esme.

"Hello?" She asked hesitantly.

"Esme," Valentine laughed,"how are you?"

"Valentine? I'm well. Should I get Cordelia? She's making a pie with Renesmee--"

"No, no, I was just calling to see if she was well. It sounds like she is, so I am reassured. But pies? Is it not late in Forks?"

"Oh, yes, but Cordelia slept all day and couldn't find an outlet to put her energy into. Renesmee decided to make a pie with her as a result."

"I'm glad she's making friends," Valentine sighed. "Well, I must be going. Tell Adelaide to call me when she gets the chance."

Esme paused. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no," Valentine soothed. "Not yet. I am just… preparing for the inevitable. I have an audience with Marcus tomorrow."

"Oh. I'll make sure to tell her, then."

"Please do." Valentine hung up and leaned against one of the tables, before opening the door and heading in the opposite direction of Volterra.

Aro's secret wouldn't remain one for long, and Valentine planned on telling Marcus who had killed his beloved Didyme--to tell him everything.

But first… A visit to a little Greece cliffside was in order.

* * *

**MooNOrchiD: **_There won't be any imprinting in this fic, I promise you! Other than the relationships already built, of course, in canon. She'll get to meet the other wolves in the next chapter, actually, if things go to plan._ :) _I appreciated the rant btw._

**FriendlyNeighborhoodHufflepuff: **_Yeah, I didn't notice how motherly it actually was until you pointed out. I've pondered on her not having a partner at all and it seems like the best option. I totally understand your opinion, though. :)_

**Readinglover3: **_I've ultimately decided not to give her a love interest, but if I did, I would respect the canon relationships. :) _


	7. SIX

CORDELIA STARED UNCERTAINLY at the pies littering the back seat of Renesmee's very sensible Sedan. "Are you sure all these pies are necessary? I thought we were only taking one or two, not fifteen…"

"Shifters eat a lot," Renesmee explained calmly. She fidgeted with the side mirror as they pulled down a barren driveway. "Way more than you or I ever could. It's like feeding an army!"

"I still don't quite understand…" Cordelia brushed her hair back. "But I'll take your word for it. Are you sure it's safe here?"

Adelaide had been forced to stay behind. She had not done it happily, however; she grumbled and sneered and almost backed her in to a corner to keep her from leaving. She had eventually surrendered to Cordelia's teasing taunt of "Progenitor, remember?" and allowed her to go, but not without shoving her phone in her hand and patting her head reassuringly.

She had no doubt that the vampiress was pacing the treaty lines as she spoke.

"So, now that I have you here alone," Renesmee began,"Adelaide… She's um… What is she? She isn't a complete vampire, I know that. There's something else there. But what is it?"

Cordelia shrugged. "I have no clue. Honestly, I don't. She isn't very forthcoming with the details. It reminds her of stuff she would rather not remember, I think."

When Renesmee neglected to speak, the future progenitor fidgeted with her clothing. She had chosen a sun dress for the humid weather and a caridgan to hide her scars, but now she was regretting it because she looked like a child even with a little weight put on her skeletal form. The albinism didn't help her in that regard; the stark whiteness of her skin seemed to enhance the curve of her ribs and collarbone. Perhaps vampirism would give back what her sickly body could not.

"You know," Renesmee started again,"if you don't like the idea of feeding off of humans, you can always join us, if you want. I'm sure Aunt Alice will be delighted."

Cordelia smiled. "Thank you for the gesture, Renesmee, but I'm afraid that's not an option for me."

"What do you mean? It's your decision isn't it?"

"Not exactly. Being the Progenitor requires human blood to hold the memories. Animal blood isn't so good with memory. Adelaide could tell you better than I am. Valentine, too. Just… think if you had a cup full of pure orange juice. It's strong, tangy, and fresh; but then you add water, and that strongness is gone. You can't bring it back. Does that make sense?"

"I guess so." Renesmee turned a small corner and stopped in front of a house nestled in the tree line. "Here we are! Here, you take this box inside and I'll follow."

Cordelia took the box and, with a grimace, stepped outside into the humidity. Without Adelaide to steady her, she was like a newborn fawn, and just barely made it to the steps without having an asthma attack. She rubbed her chest with the corner of the box in an attempt to soothe it. Her lungs seemed to be getting worse and worse than she anticipated.

"Renesmee!" A woman greeted. She had scars down the left side of her face that took Cor back for a moment. It was rude to stare, however, so she shifted the box in her arms. "It's so nice to see you. And who's this creature?"

Renesmee took the box from her. "Emily, this is Cordelia. Cordelia, this is Emily, Sam's wife. You met him at the airport, right?"

"Oh. Yeah." Cordelia could take a guess as to where her scars had come from, then. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Cordelia."

"Nice to meet you." Emily ignored her offered hand and pulled her into a quick hug. "Wow, you're just skin and bones! What have those vampires been feeding you? Water?"

Renesmee snickered at the woman's light teasing. Cordelia just felt uncomfortable. "No, no, we feed her well, you know that. Cordelia's just… well…"

"I'm sick," Cordelia blurted plainly. "Terminal. Ready to blow. Take your pick."

"Oh." Emily's eyes widened. "I'm sorry. So you're… being turned?"

Cordelia grimaced. Adelaide was going to kill her.

"Not… quite." Renesmee took the reigns and patted her shoulder. "I'll explain it to you. Cordelia, do you think you could make it to the back porch? Just yell 'food's here'. They'll come running."

"Sure."

She navigated her way through the cozy home with little difficulty. She located the swinging door to the back porch and stepped outside. She was not, however, expecting the pale brown wolf lounging on the steps, or the silvery one taking a nap on a rug.

"Umm…" Ears swiveled around to listen to her. "There's food inside. Renesmee brought me. Could you, um, tell everyone? I heard you guys could do that. Please."

The silvery one chuffed out a laugh and rolled to its feet. The pale brown one never got close enough to make her antsy, but sent odd doggish grins her way whenever she looked at it every so often.

Before she could suck it up and walk back inside, the pale brown wolf nudged her fingers and eventually got her palm on his head. She tentatively scratched behind his ears, watching as his entire form drooped and his tail wag loosely. She giggled against her own will.

"Aww, is Seth getting some scritches?" A female voice teased. Out from the treeline came a woman with short cropped hair and tan skin. "How did he rope you into that?"

Cordelia jerked her hand back. The wolf, who she now knew was Seth, looked disappointed, but loped off into the trees with the silver one. "I don't know… He just moved his head under my hand. I'm Cordelia."

"Leah." She didn't shake her hand. "Does the vampire by the treaty line belong to you?"

"Yes…? She's her own person, but she's my guard."

"That explains it then." And she was brushing past her, shouldering her way into the house.

Seth popped out of the trees right after, followed by Paul, who she dubbed was the silver one. "Don't worry about her. Vamps make her nervous."

"I see that." Cordelia rubbed her arms. "How many of you are there?"

"Wolves? Maybe around fifteen total." Paul walked around her and held the door open for her. "Some decided to stop shifting a few years ago. So, maybe twenty."

"Thank you," she told him as she walked inside. "Renesmee says you're a jerkwad, but I don't see it."

"Oh, trust me, you'll see it," Seth snickered from behind her. "You're vampire royalty, practically, from what I hear."

"Oh, no," Cordelia teased,"I'm almost head honcho. Don't you know?"

Somehow, the wolves made her feel more at ease. She couldn't describe it--maybe it was the camaraderie? The idea of a pack?

Perhaps she had judged them wrongly after all.

* * *

**Short chapter because shit hits the fan after this. :) **


End file.
